Detector for flat tires



March E39 1928. 1,662,381

. T. M. EYNoN x., DETECTOR FOR FLAT TIRES Filed Sept. 16. 1919 from the canting of Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,662,381 PATENT OFFICE.I

THOMAS M. EYNON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MARGARET Y. EYNON, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DETECTOR FOR FLAT TIRES.

.Application led September Thepur ose of my invention is to indicate the .fact o a single vehicle tire being flat by reason of the canting of that end of the vehicle, while distin uishing automatically otli ends of the vehicle together.

A further purpose is to reduce inertial movements of the contact closer by dash pot means.

A further purpose is to facilitate accurate placing of the contact-making device.v

Further urposes will appear in the specification and) in the claims.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by but one form thereof, selecting a form which is ractical, eflicient and inexpensive and which) at the same ltime well illustrates the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is an outline front elevation of an automobile showing my invention applied thereto.

Fi ure 2 is a similar rear elevation showclng t e positions ofthe parts with one tire Figure 3 is a diagrammatic top plan View showing the electrical connections.

Figure et is a view partly perspective and partly diagrammatic showing the connections to the indicator.

Figure 5 is a longitudinall section of one form of contact device.

Figure 6 is a transverse section of Figure 5 upon lines 6 6.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through one of the contact tubes shown.

This application is intended to present an additional s ecies of the broad invention illustrated, escribed and claimed in my aplication for patent for flat tire detector,

erial No. 267,396, filed December 18, 1913, in which the contacts are made by a solid gravity-actuated member and in which a di'erent type of indicator is used, automatic in its movements but requiring interpretation `by the driver, to distinguish between canting of a single end of the car, which might indicate a flat tire, and canting of both ends of the vehicle, such as is caused by lateral slope of the road.

The disclosure was broad in my original application indicated and the specific claims were directed to fluid operation and the continuous transverse tube was emphasized more than the separate tubes for the two sides at each end; and it is my purpose to 16, 1919. Serial No. 324,059.

claim specifically here, the separate self-contained constructions and the use of mechanical or solid, rather than fluid connection between the contacts.

Considering Figure 3, I show the wheels 9, 10, 11, 12 upon axles 13 and 14 and contact tubes 15, 16, 17 and 18 in juxtaposition -to the wheels, supported preferably from the axles.

Each tube is shown as sealed at 19 and 20, or 19 and 20', (Figures 5, 6 and 7) to kee out dirt and moisture which might interfere with the operation, and contains contacts 21, 22, or 21', 22', one of which, at least, must be insulated from the tubing. The other may be grounded upon it or through it to any suitable frame part, to which the battery is also grounded, or may be omitted, its place being taken by the grounded metal of the tube.

For the solid (mechanical) gravity-actuate contact device I have selected a rolling ball 23 within the tube so that at the one end of its movement, the right in Figure 5 and the left in Figure 7, it will close the contacts 21 and 22 or 21 and 22 and complete the path of current from a grounded battery 24.

As will be seen the several circuits from the battery shown in Figures 3 and 4 pass through winding 25 and 28 of magnet 26 for tubes 15 and 16 respectively, and through windin s 29 and 30 of electromagnet 31 for tubes 17 and 1.8 respectively.

The electromagnets 26-and 31 are located on opposite sides of an armature 32, pivoted upon an axis 33 and controlling a pointer 34. The pointer is held to the middle of the scale 35 by a tension spring 3.6 which serves also to pass current from any suitable source through the needle to contacts 37 or 37 to ring a bell, if desired, when the armature is thrown.

The tubes are so located as normally to slope toward the inside of the car, which is toward the left in Figure 5, and toward the right in Figure 7, holding the balls in the ends farthest from the contacts; but this slope is slight enough so that flattening of a tire will lreverse the slope, causing the contact end of the tube to be the low end and resulting in the ball rolling to contact position. Any special means may be used to insure engagement of the ball with them and contact of the ball itself with the tubing to 

